This morning I embarked on “Day One” of a lifestyle change experiment. This is something I first tried years ago, a variation of the “Miracle Morning” - a concept created by Hal Elrod. The basic gist is that it’s a way to start your day to orient your body, mind and spirit towards the right path before you barely even see the sun rise. In many ways it’s a simplified version of the Ayurvedic morning routine, practiced for thousands of years by many in the Far East.
I “tried” doing this a few years ago, but that very statement explains why I failed. I was just “trying.” Just “giving it a go.” That attitude is a sure setup for failure, as it’s already built in to the word “try.” As I learned at a very young age from a wise old alien, “Do or Do Not, There Is No Try.”
The idea of getting the word “try” out of my mental dictionary isn’t easy, especially when it comes to a routine that involves waking up early. I have never been a morning person. At least that’s what I’ve always told myself. Which of course, is part of the reason why I’ve never been a morning person.
For this routine, I decided from the beginning there would be no “try.”
I won’t go through the details of my routine today, but I can tell you that I bounced out of bed when my alarm went off and didn’t hit the snooze button even once. This is because I had properly aligned my intentions before I went to bed the previous night. I decided that I was going to wake up, excited to start my day with this new routine. I had cleared out any doubt as to whether I was simply going to give it a “try.”
I’ll detail more about this routine and the results more as I incorporate it into my life. But the early returns are promising. As I hit “publish” on this post, it is not even 9:30 am.
Back in the Before Times, I’d still be cleaning the cobwebs out, procrastinating, and slowly getting myself together. I wasn’t even planning on writing this post, but the morning ritual itself seemed to inspire me to write it.
Get the word “try” out of your vocabulary. When you decide to “try”, you have already primed your brain to give up.
Listen to Yoda.
Do, or Do Not.
There is no Try.
Come see my do a live podcast and a brief standup comedy set at the Sayulita Superspreader this December 10-12 in Sayulita, Mexico - a place where COVID doesn’t exist. Use discount code “LIONS” before midnight on October 19th for 10% off your tickets!
Check out all of my projects below:
Lions of Liberty, where I facilitate conversations with the hopes of inspiring others to achieve more liberty in their lives.
Second Print Comics podcast, where myself and Remso Martinez take a weekly look at the comic book characters, storylines and events that shaped our fandom.
Thinking about starting a podcast? Already have one? Book a podcast consulting call with yours truly to get yourself on the right track, and learn to grow your show without wasting precious time.
The Expat Money Show - This isn’t my project, but I’m thrilled that I’ve gotten to work directly with my friend Mikkel Thorup to help grow this show over the past few months. I believe greatly in what Mikkel is doing - helping others to achieve greater liberty in their lives by living and investing abroad - and helping grow this program has been a true joy. I also get to help moderate The Expat Money Forum on Facebook - check it out!